ON THE BIRDS OF THE SOUTH ORKNEY ISLANDS. 241 



the archipelago, on November 27th, 1903, the day on which the Scotia left her winter- 

 quarters to proceed to the Falklands to refit. 



It had been frequently observed on the outward voyage of the previous year, but 

 fell off rapidly in numbers as the pack-ice was entered, and ceased to be noted some 

 sixty miles ere the South Orkneys were reached. It was also seen, and specimens were 

 obtained at sea, to the eastward of the group during the early days of the first voyage 

 in the Weddell Sea. 



Sterna hirundinacea Less. 

 Sterna hirundinafta Cat. B., xxv. p. 52. 



The White-rumped Tern was first observed by the Expedition at Saddle Island, on 

 February 4th, 1903. It was not found to be an abundant species at Laurie Island, 

 where only some two or three hundred spent the summer, nesting in small scattered 

 colonies of about a dozen pairs, and also in isolated pairs. 



In the spring of 1903 the first terns of the season were observed on October 21st, 

 but it was thought that some had been heard two or three days before. The bird had 

 been absent from the island since the 25th of March of the previous autumn. 



The nests were mere hollows, lined with a few small fragments of stone, on the tops 

 of small rocks, or on raised beaches and small screes, and were always quite close to the 

 shore. The nests in the colonies were placed fairly close together, and often in proximity 

 to those of Lams dominicanus. When not surprised on their nests, these birds usually 

 betrayed the whereabouts of their treasures by hovering over them and screeching 

 loudly. 



The eggs were one or two in number. The first were found on November 14th, and 

 from that date onwards they were observed until January 15th. In 1904 Mr Mossman 

 records the first eggs observed on November 27th. 



The earliest chicks were obtained on December 25th, and by February 7th young 

 were noted as having lost all their down. 



A few adult specimens and a chick are included in the collections ; also a number 

 of eggs, averaging 473 cm. x 3 '3 4 cm. 



This species is also a summer visitor to the South Shetlands. But according to 

 Reichenow the South Georgian bird is a subspecies of Sterna vittata, which he has 

 named Sterna vittata georgite (Om. Monatsber., xii. p. 47); while the same authority 

 has described (I.e.) the tern of the Antarctic Continent as a race of the Arctic Tern, 

 Sterna macrura antistropha. 



Larus dominicanus Licht. 

 Lariis dominicanus Cat. B., xxv. p. 245. 



This Black-backed Gull has a remarkably wide latitudinal distribution, ranging as it 

 does from 1 S. in the South Atlantic to within a few degrees of the Antarctic Circle. 

 It was not a very abundant species at the South Orkneys, and the numbers visiting 



